Wrapping and banding machine



July 14, 1931.. 1, HQHL 1,31%693 WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed July12, 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1,

I N VEN TOR,

20m Z: flai ATORNEY I July 14, 1931. G. I. HOHL 1334 696 WRAPPING ANDBANDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 14, 1931. G.I. HOHL WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed July .12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet3 BY GIJgQIJZZZ/Zj @u) a IN VEN TOR 'A TTORNEY Patented July 14, 1931GEORGE I. HOHL, F NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND WRAPPING AND BANnnve mammalApplication filed July 12,

This invention relates to improvements wrapping and handing machines;and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novelconstruction of machine for wrapping andbanding chewing gum, candy barsand similar articles.v

This invention has for its principal object to provide a very compact,comparatively simple and 'yet durable machine which can be operated atvery high speed so as to be capable of a maximum output.

The invention has for a further objectto rovide a machine in which thewrapper foldmg devices consist for the most part in stationary folderelements with movable folding elements reduced to a minimum, and inwhich the articles to be wrapped together with the wrapper are carriedand moved by an intermittently rotated carrier head in operativerelation to said folder elements; and

- in which a similarly intermittently rotated 'banderhead is in conj uate relationto said carrier head and sync ronously operated therewith toapply an outer encircling band to the wrapped article or articles.

The invention has for further objectsthe general simplification of thewrapping and handin machine as a whole with respect to the feedin ofwrapping material and to the feeding 0 bands respectively to theconjugate carrier head and bander head, to the end that very high speedoperation may be attained with mimmum wear and tear because of thereduction of moving parts to a minishowing the conjugate relation ofcarrier" head and bander head, and the relation of said heads to thefolding devices or elements;

1929. serialfll'li. 397,685,

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse vertical, section, taken on line 33 inFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view looking down on the carrierhead and folding devices, with cer tain of the latter shown in dottedoutline to 1 a fragreveal underlying parts; and Fig. 5

aken on mentary transverse Vertical section, line 55 in F 4.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed 50 views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings, the reference character 6 indicates asuitable supporting plate or frame mounted in up-standing longitudinalextension on a suitable base 7. Mounted on a shaft 8, which is journaledin said supporting plate or frame 6, and which is driven by any suitablepower transmission means (not shown) adapted to produce intermittentrotation thereof by quarter turns, is a carrier head 9. This carrierhead 9 is provided, in radial extension therefrom and incircumferentially spaced relation ninety degrees apart, with a series ofreceiving pockets, each formed by parallel wall portions comprising aleading wall member 10 and a trailing wall member .11. The lateralmarginal portions of said trailing wall members 11, at their outerfaces, are provided with chamfered folder edges 12. Pivotally connectedwith the carrier head 9 within and adjacent to the leading wall members10 are yieldable pressure plates 13 spaced from the inner sides of saidtrailing wall members 11 and yieldably pressed toward the latter by 5.

springs 14 intermediate the pressure plates 13 and leading Wall members10. The spaces intermediate said pressure plates 13 and trailing wallmembers 11 form the receiving pockets within which the article orarticles to be wrapped and the wrapper are inserted and carried duringthe wrapping operations. By the arrangement of carrier head thusprovided the receiving pockets thereof are arranged in outwardlyandlaterally open dia metrically disposed and oppositely extendingpairs. Reciprocably slidable through the carrier head 9 and shaft 8relative to each diametrically aligned pair of receiving pockets thusprovided and arranged, are pushme bars 15, the free end portions ofwhich are "-movable toward and from the mouths or entrances of saidpockets for purposes which will subsequently ap car. In operation thecarrier head rotates direction of the arrow in Fi 2.

. construction'in which may be de osited, to

form a vertical stack or column, t e articles to be wrapped and banded,as, for example, slabs of chewin gum. Arranged to reciprocate on said tale 16 toward and from said stacker 17 and carrier head 9 is a plunger18, which, on its forward movement, removes from the lower end of saidstacker the de-.

sired number of articles to be wrapped and slides the same forward andinto a receiving pocketof the carrier head while the latter is v atrest. Connected with a tail block 19, with which the rear end of saidplunger 18 is provided, through a link 20 is the oscillating end -of alever arm 21 operated by a rock shaft 22, which in turn is actuated bysuitable timed power transmission mechanism (not shown). Y

. Suitably supported on a spindle 23 above said carrier head 9 isawrapping material supply roll 24. The wrapping material may be of anysuitable kind, such as pager, tin foil, etc. Supported by hearing racketmeans 25, which may be attached to the stacker 17, are wrapping materialfeed rolls. Preferably these rolls comprise two pairs or sets, the upperset of rolls 26 being em loyed to pull the material from the supp y roll24, and the lower set of rolls 27 being subject to timed intermittentrotation to feed, at proper times, a given measured length of thematerial downwardly across the mouth of .a

carrier head receiving pocket and in front of the articles moved by theplunger 18 to the carrier head 9, and so that the material will lieadjacent to a fixed folder plate 28 the lower folding edge of which isali the upper edge of the mouth of said carrier head receiving pocket.Suitably timed transmission means (not shown) is provided for actuatingsaid rolls 26 and 27.

Arran d below the feed rolls 27 is a stationary s ear blade 29 and amovable shear blade 30, between which the wrapping material is fed sothat the desired given length thereof may be severed from the supply atthe proper moment to insure the same being carried with the plungerpropelled article or articles into a carrier head receiving pocket.

Said movable shear blade 30 is actuated by an om left to right in the,

ed with oscillatable lever 31 operated by a timed rock-shaft 32, thereciprocable blade actu-- ator 33 being operativel connected with thefree end of said oscillatahle lever 31 by means of a link 34.

Suitabll); supported in fixed relation to the ends of t e carrier head9, and so that the latter turns therebetween, are pairs of stationarfolder blocks 35 and 36 which are shape to provide the stationary foldinelements hereafter specified. The carrier ead 9 isof a widthcorresponding to the len h of the wrapped article or articles. he widthof the severed length of wrap ing material is greater than the length oft e article or articles to be wrapped, so that marginal portions beyondthe ends of the latter are provided from which may be formed endcovering wrapper folds. The lower folder blocks 35 are provided at theirlower ends with portions 37 of reduced width so as to provide spaces 38intermediate the same and the adjacent ends of the carrier head 9 toprovide clearance for. the end projecting portions of the'wrappingmaterial (see F 1g. 3).

As the plunger 18 moves toward the carrier head 9 the articles to bewrapped (which as illustrated in the drawings may comprise a plurality,five e. g., superimposed slabs of chewing gum) are carried forwardly soas to first engage a severed length of wrappin material, which isthereupon pushed, wit said articles, into a carrier head receivingpocket, which is arrested in aligned relation to the path of movement ofthe articles so. moved. The controlled delivery of the wrapping materialis such that, when the severed ortion thereof is engaged bythe forward ymoved articles, a pro ecting end of less extent than the width of thearticles extends downwardly from the plane of the under side of thelatter, while a projecting end of substantially greater extent than thewidth of the articles extends upwardly from the plane of the upper sidethereof. As the articles and wrapper thus provided are ushed into thewaiting carrier head receiv- .mg pocket, the lesser projecting end ofthe wrapper will enga the lip 39 of the trailing wall member 11 o f thpocket to be thereby folded under the bottom side of the articlesentered in said pocket, while the greater pro- 'ecting end of the wraper will engage the I ottom edge of the fixe folder plate 28 to bethereby folded over the upper side of the articles entered in saidpocket, but in such mannerasfto leave the free end portion thereofoutwardly'extending from said pocket.

-Extending inwardly from the reduced porlongitudinally projecting endportions of the wra per at: the fold thereof around the forwar side ofthe articles are moved forward with the articles, as the latter enterthe'waiting carrier head receiving pocket, the same will be engaged bythe tuck fingers 40, and infolded or tucked against the ends of thearticles, as shown at 41 in Fi 2 and 3, at the same time forming a folda1e wing 42 aligned substantially to the bottom plane ofthe articles anda foldable wing 43 aligned substantially to the top plane of theartlcles, also shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the articles and wrapper have been entered in the waiting carrierhead receiving pocket in the manner above described, the

' timed operation of the carrier head is such that a quarter turnthereof occurs in the direction of the arrow :2: in Fi 2. B suchmovement the 10 'tudmal y pro ect n wings 42 and 43 oft e wrapperarecarrie .agamst and past the folding lips-44 at the i lower innerportion of the lower folding blocks whereby such wings are turned into Pl i fi -through e folder com the plane of the ends .of the articles,while at the sametime the proilecting end of the wrapb t plate 28 andturned downwardly over the outer side of the articles, leaving,

per is engaged e folder owever, projecting portions 45 extending beyondthe ends of the articles (see Fig. 3) As the carrier head com. pletesthe quarter turn,the rejecting por-.

tions 45 are carried into fol er cam grooves. 46 in the upper folder-Iblocks 36, which lead toward the inner faces czar the latter.

--the carrier head dwells in, thepositionfat- 'tained bythmdescribedfquarter turn, a ;suc-,

ceeding set of articles and-"wrap j gare'in sorted inthe t t reef, At

the next quarterturn;

' portions45 of the wrapper ride t ooves 46 and are enby the faces 47 ofthe upper folder locks 36, beingthereby turned flat e carrier head, the

and while thelatter dwells at rest, laterally oscillatablo. folderblades are actuated to wipe,

ll'of the'receiving pocket, the extremities of the win 42 andf43 andprojectin portions 45, so t at said parts are move to. overlie'the nowupwardly resented face of the wrapped articles igs. 4 and 5), thusleaving a last remaining longitudinal fold 48 upwardl projecting fromsaid upwardly resente face of the wrapped articles. Said aterallyoscillatable folder blades comprise a pair of pivoted lever members 49arranged respectively on opposite sides of the-carrier head 9, therearward ends of the same being biased toward each other by aninterconnecting spring 50, whereby the forward ends thereof are normallyoutwardly-swung to an inst the ends of the articles. At the completionof -this second quarter turn of the carrier head,

ends of said lever members 49 are roller bearin'gs 51, which bearagainst cam plates 52. Said cam plates 52 are fixed to the tail block 19of the plunger 18 whereby on initial forward movement of thelatter formoving articles to be wrapped into the carrier head, said cam plates 52engages the rollers to swing the lever members 49 so as to move theforward ends thereof toward the carrier head. Fixed on the forwardendsof said lever members 49 are folder blades 53, which on inward swingingmovement engage and fold down the wings 42, 43 and ortions 45 of thewrapper as above describe At this stage of the operations the wrappedarticles are ready for transfer from the carrier head to a bander orlabel head. Mounted on a shaft'54, which is journaled in said supthesame being driven by any suitable ower transmission means not shown)where y in termittent rotation t ereof-in timed relation to thecorresponding movements of the carrier head 9 is attained. Said banderhead is provided in radial extension therefrom and in circumferentiallyspaced relation ninety degrees apart, with a series of receivingpockets, each formed by parallel wall portions com-fprising a leadingwall member 67 and a trail Pivotally connected. with the bander head 55within and adjacent f to 'the trailing wallm'embers'56 are .yieldablepressure plates 58 spaced from the leadmg wall member 56.

ing wall members 57 and yieldably pressed toward the latter by springs59. Arranged for reciprocable. movement in and between diand from themouths or entrances of said pockets for purposes to be hereafterexplained.

Fixed. to said supporting frame or plate 6 "above and adjacent to saidbander head 55 is a magazine 61 adapted to hold a supply of bands orlabels 62. Said magazine 61 is open at its lower end, andbeneath theopen bottom thus provided is a rotatable ejector roll 63, the rotationof which is timed in any suitable way to successively feed the bands orlabels to the bander head through control means about to be described.Supported in connection with the lower open end of said magazine 61 isan upwardly and obliquely as I '-.ametrically opposite receiving pocketsof saidbander head arevpush bars 60, the free end portions of which aremovable toward projected sharp spur 64 which penetrates the;

lower bands or labels and retains all except i of the e'ectorroll 63 area pair of cooperating fee rollers 66 and 67, the same being preferablyannularly grooved to permit the movement of a depressor finger 68 there-5 through. Said depressor finger 68 is subject to a timed verticalreciprocation by opera tion of any suitable actuating means. lVhile thebander head 55 is at rest the ejector roll 63 is timedto operate so asto move out of the magazine 61 the lowermost band or label therefrom,which band .is thereupon and thereby delivered to and between the feedrollers 6667 so as to be fed forwardly by the latter through a guidewayformed by spaced guide plates 69. Asthe thus fed band leaves the feedrolls 66-67, the depresser finger 68 is timed to move downward and dexpress the rear end of the band downward into engagement with a groovedpush-post 2&70, one of which is carried on the leading wall member 57 ofeach receiving pocketof the bander head, whereby the band or label isdisposed across the mouth of a receiving pocket which is ready to bemoved into receiving position. Said depresser finger is spring biased tonormal lifted position shown in Fig. 1, and may be actuated to depressedor operative lowered position by any suitable form of timing camcontrolled mechanical motion adapted to swing down the rocker arm 68 tothe free end of which said depresser finger is connected (also see Fig.1). After the band or label is thus engaged and disposed, the timedoperation of the bander head will effect a quarter turn thereof in thedirection of the arrow y in Fig. 2, whereby the band or label togetherwith the receiving pocket to which it is related is moved into opposedand aligned relation to the carrier head gocket in which the wrappedarticle is engage When the carrier head 9 and bander head 55 come torest with the opposed receiving pockets thereof aligned, the machine 15timed so that while a succeeding set of articles with a wrapper is beingentered in a receiving pocket at one side of the carrier head, a

wrapped set of articles is being discharged fromgflie receiving pocketat the other side of the carrier head and entered in the 0pposed andaligned receiving pocket of the bander head. The transfer of the wrappedset of articles from the carrier head to the bander head is produced bythe operation of the push-bars 15 of the carrier head. In order toassure a uniform high speed operation of the machine, I find itundesirable to 1 depend on the inward movement of entering articles atone side of the carrier head for actuation of the push-bars 15 to ejectwrapped articles from the opposite side of the carrier head, since suchmethod is not positive and accurate enough to assure timely and completethrow of the push-bars 15; 65 furthermore, the resultant pressureexerted on the goods or articles is likely to cause inury to ordeformation of the latter, to say nothing of the resultant likelihood ofso jamming the machine that it must be stopped and cleaned, whereby lossof operatin time comprises pivoted propulsion arms 71 ad acent to eachside of the carrier and bander eads, said propulsion arms being actuatedin proper time by a connecting rod 72 adapted to be reciprocated by acam 73 which cooperates with rollers 74 carried by the rodl The pushbars 15 of the carrier head 9 have laterally projecting ears 75, and thepushbars 60 of bander head also have laterally projecting cars 76. Therearward marginal ends of the propulsion arms 71 have abutments 77 whichengage the ears 75 of the carrier head ush bars 15, while the forwardmarginal on s 78 of said propulsion arms engage the ears 76 of saidbander head push bars 60. Simultaneously with the operation of theplunger 18, whereby articles to be wrapped are inserted at one side ofthe carrier head 9, the propulsion arms are swung forward so as toengage the push bar ears 7 5 to positively propel the push-bar 15forward so as to e ect wrapped articles from the opposite side of thecarrier head and into an aligned receiving pocket of the bander head.The inner faces of the propulsion arms 71 abut the end folds of thewrapper and retain the same against outward displacement from thepositions to which they have been folded, thus, holding the same whilethe wrapped articles are being transferred from the carrier head to thebander head.

a As the wrapped articles enter the receiving pocket of the'bander head55 the same engage the band or label 62 so as to fold the same fold 48of the wrapper. The band or label 62 is so positioned relative to themouth of the receiving pocket of the bander head that as it is foldedinto the latter a free projecting section 78 extends therefrom. The bandor label folds over and around the infolded ends of the wings 42, 43 and45 of thenism operates to apply glue or other suitable adhesive to theinner face of said projecting section 78. This pasting mechanismcomprises a supporting bracket 79 suitably affixed to the frame 6beneath the bander head. l\lounted. on this supporting bracket 7 9 is aglue pot or box 80, in which rotates a glue transfer roll 81, J ournaledin bearing arms 82 is a shaft 83 on which is fixed wiper fingers 84. Theshaft 83 and its wiper fingers 84: are rotated from said transfer roll81 by intermeshing gears 85 and 86. As the wiper fingers 84 are thusrotated, the free ends of the same pass first into contact with thesurface of the transfer roll 81 to thereby receive a coating of glue, sothat as the rotation of the wiper fingers 84 is continued, the gluecoated ends of the same are carried in wiping contact with the innerface of the projecting end 78 of the band or label so as to apply glueto the surface thereof.

Aligned with the outer side of the bander head so as to oppose areceiving pocket of the latter when the bander head is at rest, is arunway 87 formed by a spaced bottom plate 88 and top plate 89, supportedby brackets 90 from the frame 6. I

On a succeeding quarter turn of said bander head the wrapped articleswith the band or label furnished with the application of glue arecarried into alignment with said runway 87. As a wrapped article andband or label is being inserted within a receiving pocket at the innerside of said bander head, the wrapped and partially banded articleswithin the receiving pocket at the outer side of said bander head areejected therefrom and thrust into the runway 87. This is positivelyaccomplished by the forward swinging movement ofthe propulsion arms 71,

whereby the forward marginal edges thereof engage the ears 76 of thepush-bar to cause the same to eject the wrapped and banded articles fromthe bander head and to thrust flit the same into the runway 87. As thewrapped and banded articles move into the runway 87, the glue coatedprojecting end 78 of the band or label is moved against the folding edge91 of the bottom plate 88 of the runway, whereby the same is up-turnedagainst the opposite infolded end of the band or label so that the glueacts to join said ends to complete the attachment of the band or labelto the wrapped articles and to thereafter retain the same in suchattached relation. Owing tothe fact that the top plate 89 of the runwayis permitted a vertical play under avity, the same will press thewrapped and banded articles toward the bottom plate 88 whereby the bandis securely retained in operative embracing relation until the glue isset; and consequently by the time the wrapped and handed articles areejected from the runway 87 the same are in condition for packing incartons or boxes.

It will be understood that the operations above described aresuccessively carried on step by step in timed sequence and by theintermittent rotation of the carrier and bander heads;, and, thatconsequently the novel machine is adapted to be operated at high speedso as to produce a large capacity output in a given time. In practicethe machine will attain and maintain a speed of approximately onehundred packages a minute. One of the important features in theconstruction and arrangement of the machine, and to which the possiblehigh speed 0 ration may be largely attributed, is the irectcommunicating relation established between the carrier and bander heads,whereby the transfer of the articles worked upon is direct from the oneto the other and not through intermediate runways, with the furtherprovision of positive transfer mechanism acting directly upon theejecting push rods of the respective heads, whereby'all strains ortendency to crush, distort or otherwise adversely disturb the articles,wrappers and bands is largely eliminated.

From the above description it willbe obvious that the arrangement of themachine is exceedingly. compact and that moving parts have been reducedto a minimum, particularly as to the-fold producing elements which, withthe exception of the folder blades 53 are all stationary and areoperative merely by the movement of the work past the same under theintermittent rotation of the carrier and bander heads.

It will be understood that many changes could be made in the abovedescribed construction and many apparently widely different embodimentsof this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereofas defined by the appended claims, consequently it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitinsense.

aving thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a wrapping machine, anintermittently rotatable carrier head having radial pockets to receivearticles to be wrapped and wrappers therefor, stationary wrapper foldingelements adjacent to the forward side and to the ends of said carrierhead to produce certain longitudinal and end folds of the wrapper,oscillatable folder blades for in-folding the end folds of the partiallyfolded wrappers, and means for ejecting the wrapped articles from thecarrier head.

2. In a wrapping machine, an intermittently rotatable carrier lrtadhaving radial pockets to receive articles 1; be wrapped and wrapperstherefor, a fixed folder plate longitudinally parallel with the recelvinside of said carrier head, lower folder bloc eluding tuck lingersarranged adjacent to the ends of said carrier head, upper folder blockshaving folder cam grooves also arranged adjacent to the ends of saidcarrier head, oscillatable folder blades for infolding the end folds ofthe partially folded wrappers, and means for ejecting the wrappedarticles from the carrier head.

3. In a wrapping and handing machine, an intermittently rotatablecarrier head having radial pockets to receive articles to be wrapped andwrappers therefor, a fixed folder plate longitudinally parallel with thereceiving side of said carrier head, lower folder blocks including tuckfingers arranged adjacent to the ends of said carrier head,

upper folder blocks having folder cam grooves also arranged adjacent tothe ends of said carrier head. oscillatable folder blades for in-foldingthe end folds of the partially folded wrappers, a bander head alsohavingtradial pockets to receive wrapped ar-' ticles and a bandtherefor, said carrier head and bander head being arranged side by sideso that in o eration the pockets thereof are successively l ironght intoopposed aligned relation, push bars slidably extending through saidcarrier head in connection with diabars also slidahly extending throughsaii' hand er head in connection withtdianietri ly opposite pocketsthereof. and osc mole propulsion arms for positively ar ng the push barsof said carrier and hander heads.

4-. In a wrapping and handing machine, an intermittently rotatablecarrier head having radial pockets to receive articles to be wrapped andwrappers therefor. a fixed folder plate longitudinally parallel with thereceiving side of said carrier head, lower.

5'' older blocks including tuck fingers arranged adjacent to the ends ofsaid carrier head, upper folder blocks having folder cam grooves alsoarranged adjacent to the ends of said carrier head, oseillatable folderblades for iii-folding the end folds of the partially folded wrappers,ahander head also having radial pockets to receive wrapped articles anda band therefor, said carrier head and bander head being arranged sideby side so that in operation the pockets thereof are successivelybrought into opposed aiigned relation, push bars slidably extendingthrough said carrier head in connection with diametrically oppositepockets thereof. push bars also slidably extending through said banderhead in connection with diametrically opposite pockets thereof,oseillatable propulsion arms for positively actuating the push bars ofsaid carrier and bander heads. means for applying glue to portions ofbands projecting from said 'hander head, and, a receiving run way opposd to the outer side of said liander head having a folding 11p tocomplete the folding of the .glue coat-ed portions of the bands as the

